Fixtures August 19 Rwanda Vs Lebanon August 21 Rwanda Vs Argentine August 22 Rwanda Vs Great Britain Hosts Rwanda will face Lebanon in their opening Group D game at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026 pre-qualifying tournament slated for August 19-25 in Kigali. The pair are pooled in the same group as Great Britain and Argentina. Times Sport has learned that the national team, under the tutelage of head coach Cheikh Sarr, will begin training in July. ALSO READ: Basketball: Rwanda welcomes ‘historic’ World Cup pre-qualifiers The group stages, which take place on August 19-22, will see two teams from each of the two groups advance to the knock-out phase (Semi-finals and Finals). The expansion of the women's competition system was approved by the FIBA Central Board after the conclusion of the previous World Cup, aligning with FIBA's strategic priority of promoting women in basketball. The aim is to provide more national federations with meaningful and regular international competition opportunities. Group A and B games of the pre-qualifiers will play in Mexico City, Mexico while Group C and D will take place in Kigali. ALSO READ: Basketball: Rwanda to host 2026 World Cup pre-qualifiers The 16 participating teams learned their paths through the competition when the draw was completed on April 25, marking the first milestone on the Road to FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026. Like Group D, Group C pre-qualifiers will be held in Kigali while Group A and B pre-qualifying tournament will take place in Mexico City. Each tournament will consist of group play (two groups of four teams each), followed by semi-finals and a final. Each group will feature four teams from different continents. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals, and the winner of each tournament will secure a spot in the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026 qualifying tournaments scheduled for March 2026. They will join 22 teams which will be determined by results in the FIBA Women's Continental Cups 2025. A total of 16 nations, including hosts Germany, will earn their spots through the qualifying tournaments in 2026, competing in an expanded field at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026. This expansion enhances inclusivity and competitiveness, providing more opportunities for the women's game. In 2026, 32 teams will participate, aligning with the numbers seen in the men's World Cup field.
